News from the Glass Museum
Glass Feasibility Study
For more information about the feasibility study and to review the latest report by L&R Consulting, with regard to the future of Broadfield House Glass Museum and the proposed move to the Red House Glass Cone, please visit the Official Glass Feasibility web page.
Antiques Roadshow vase saved
A Stourbridge glass vase, which appeared recently on the BBC Antiques Roadshow, has just been purchased by Dudley Council’s Broadfield House Glass Museum.
The vase, which was made about 1885 by famous Stourbridge glass manufacturer Thomas Webb & Sons of Amblecote, is richly decorated with enamelling and gilding in the Islamic and Oriental style. The decoration was probably carried out by Jules Barbe, a French born artist who came over to Stourbridge in 1879 and set up a glass-decorating workshop at the Webb factory.
Andy McConnell, the Antiques Roadshow expert who inspected the vase, was full of praise for the quality of the workmanship, describing Barbe as one of the finest glass decorators in the world, but was horrified at the condition the vase. The owner, who came from Norwich, had used the vase for flowers and the inside was very badly stained.
John Millar, director of the Urban Environment said:
“We are delighted to have purchased this vase and brought it back to the area where it was made. We owe a big debt of gratitude to Andy McConnell for putting the Museum in touch with the owner about the possibility of us acquiring it for the collection. We are also grateful to the owner, who was willing to accept an offer below the vase’s full market value. Since the vase appeared on the Antiques Roadshow, it has been fully restored and it now looks stunning.”
The vase, which was purchased using funds donated by visitors, is now on show in the glass entrance to the Museum.
News Archive
Dudley Museums receive Accreditation (December 2009)
Two Dudley council-run museums have received national recognition for the quality of their service.
Dudley Museum & Art Gallery and Broadfield House Glass Museum have been given full Accreditation status by the Museum, Libraries & Archives Council (MLA). The MLA Accreditation sets nationally agreed standards for UK museums. This award shows that the two sites measure up, meeting national guidelines on how they are run, how they look after the collections and the services provided to visitors.
The two museums were especially commended for their work in two areas – providing services and facilities to a wide range of users, and for consulting with users to provide an appropriate service. The panel praised staff for their consistent approach in identifying barriers to physical and intellectual access and tailoring their programmes to attract a wide audience.
Andrew Motion, chair of the MLA said:
“Being awarded accreditation is an impressive achievement. It recognises the high standards and service that museums provide and acknowledges the hard work of staff.”
Councillor David Stanley, cabinet member for environment and culture, said:
“I am very proud of our museums service and our staff who work so hard to make our museums and collections accessible to a wide public. This accreditation serves as official recognition of the excellent standards provided by Dudley Museums Service.”
The council is looking into making a submission of accreditation for the Red House Glass Cone which is currently being considered as a venue for the borough’s glass collection, as part of an ongoing feasibility study.
New Acquisition set to shine (April 2009)
Broadfield House Glass Museum has purchased a prestigious new artwork by renowned glass artist Max Jacquard, with funding from independent charity The Art Fund and local business Ashwood Nurseries.
Entitled Fertile Landscape 2, the piece was made from lead crystal using special casting techniques. It was shown at the British Glass Biennale in 2008 as part of the International Festival of Glass. The stunning piece features four bulbs sprouting through a landscape that is modelled on the female form.
The Glass Museum is extremely grateful to The Art Fund and Ashwood Nurseries for their support, particularly as it is difficult to obtain funding for the purchase of contemporary works of art. The work of organisations like The Art Fund is vital in helping to keep museum collections up-to-date.
Max Jacquard is originally from London and has a degree in 3D Design, Ceramics & Glass from Buckinghamshire College. He has exhibited nationally and internationally and in 2001 received a prestigious award from the Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers. He was awarded first prize at the British Glass Biennale in 2006 for his work For My Lost Loves. Jacquard has works in several collections including the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, and the Museo de Arte en Vidrio de Alcorcon, Madrid.
The Art Fund is the UK’s leading independent art charity, Registered Charity No. 209174. It offers grants to help UK museums and galleries enrich their collections, campaigns on behalf of museums and their visitors, and promotes the enjoyment of art. It is entirely funded from public donations and has 80,000 members. For more information visit the Art Fund website.
Double Award Win for Glass Museum (March 2009)
At the Best of the West Awards held on 26 March 2009 it was announced that Roger Dodsworth, Keeper of Glass at Broadfield House Glass Museum, won the 'Outstanding Individual' award and The Danger of the Image: Glass Dresses by Diana Dias-Leao won the 'Best Exhibition on a Small Budget' category.
The Best of the West Awards are open to museums throughout the West Midlands region and the winners are selected by a panel of judges from the cultural sector. The awards are organised by Renaissance West Midlands, a body funded by the Museums, Libraries & Archives Council.
